Improvement in buckles



:NITEB STATES ATENT CFIon.

WILLIAM HENRY WILLIAMSON, OF ASH'IABULA, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF HIS RIGHT rIO SAMUEL O. TALOOTT, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN BUCKLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 165,905, dated July 20,1875; application filed October 28, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. WILLIAM- SON, of Ashtabula, in the county of Ashtabula and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buckles, of which the following' is a speciication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

I am aware that buckles having a rigid tongue depending downward to receive the strain of the strap in one direction are old; but in the devices thus far invented the tongue has either depended directly down and at right angles to the strap and the frame of the buckle, so that the strap could not be moved except by raising the tongue, or the tongue has been made concaved or curved on its upper surface. or inclined at an acute angle to the frame of the buckle. This construction is faulty, by reason of the fact that the strap rides up the tongue, thereby jamming it between the frame and the tooth, and at the saine time tending to elongate the strap-holes. ',Io correct these defects is the object of this Invention.

The lnvention relates to an improvement in buckles; and consists of a frame provided at the center of one of its arches with a tongue, the upper surface of which is flush with the adjacent parts of the frame, from the junction wherewith it curves downward, having its concavity toward the arch, and its lower part being at or nearly at a right angle to the plane of the upper surface of the buckle, its lower extremity passing through a hole in the strap, and entering one in the thong.

By this arrangement the strap is supported in one direction, but may readily be withdrawn in the other.

The invention is peculiarly useful to straps supporting the breeching of harness.

Figure l is a perspective view embodying the elements of the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a detached view of the buckle. Fig. 4 is a view, partly in section, showing the operation of the device.

A in the accompanying drawings is a ring, by which the thong B is secured to the crupper-strap, the thong being provided with the hole d, as shown, and also with the loops D, above and below the base of the frame E of the buckle, which is secured in the thong B, Y

and provided with the tongue F, the base of which is iiush or nearlyso with the adjacent parts of the frame, whence it extends and curves downward, so that the swell of the tongue shall be opposed to the strain of the stra-p, the extremity of the buckle being nearly at right angles to the upper surface of the frame of the buckle, the lower end of the tongue passing through the strap H, and entering a hole in the thong B.

The strap H, properly provided with holes, passes through the loops D and frame E, the tongue F entering one of the holes in the strap. This prevents its being drawn downward, yet permits it to be forced or moved` when it is desired to shorten the strap H, the lower end of which is attached to the breeching.

By reason of the tongue F being liush with the ladjacent parts of the frame, the animals tail is not caught by the tongue, which, curving downward, as shown, permits the removal of the strap, and, having its point nearly at right angles to its base, prevents the strap riding up the tongue and jamming. The pressure being also upon the end of the tongue serves to draw the frame down upon the strap, thus assisting in the operation of securing it.

l am aware of the constructions first aforesaid, and hence-do not claim such as my invention; but

What l do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A buckle consisting of the frame E and rigid tongue F, the latter attached to the front bar of the frame, and having its base flush or nearly so with the adjacent parts of the frame, and curved downwardly in such manner that the swell of the curve may be opposed to the draft of the strap, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing improvements in buckles, as above described, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 21st day of October, 187

WILLIAM HENRY WILLIAMSON. [L s] Witnesses:

W. H. HUBBARD, OMAR GILLE'ITE. 

